GodWin Residents SAVE THE TREES!

The car-park in Drummond Place originally formed the showroom end of the "British Engraving Works" from the 1960's to the 1980's, the engaving works extended into what is now known as the Business Park and the white brick wall that backs onto the rear of Godstone Road is now the only remnant of that factory. In the 1980's a proposal was put forward to build the business park and the car-park was clearly intended (from the plans that were passed)  to provide nominated spaces for some of the units as well as some spaces for visitors.

Over the last 20 years or so the Business Park has consistently denied access to the car-park and has even put measures in place to prevent access to anyone - at one stage cars would be clamped there. Last year the business park changed hands and the new owners have decided to try to sell the car-park site (subject to planning permission) to a local developer (Sheen Lane Developments).

The Winchester Road end of the Business Park is not allowed to be used by HGV traffic but what has become clear is that the car-parking within the business park is now at an all time premium there (cars are regularly double-parked there). Whilst some HGV's enter correctly from the Moormead Park entrance (many do not however) they are then forced to leave from the Winchester Road exit making the crossing from the pavement to the foot-bridge even more hazardous than it already is.

Local residents have been eying up the site for a while as a possible Green Hub, this would retain the trees whilst also providing more planting and green space for local residents. The plan would also be to provide electrical car-charging points there and cycle storage shelters which commuters could use when traveling from St Margarets Station.

Residents in Winchester and Godstone Road received letters in July 2020 (shown below) from The Pegasus Group on behalf of Sheen Lane Developments informing us of their intention to submit a planning application to build 4 houses on the existing site of the car-park at St Margarets Business Centre.

It was clear from their letter (and subsequently confirmed by Pegasus via e-mail) that their plans would involve the removal of the existing trees and hedges (all of which are at least 38 years old or more). It was also clear from their letter that the developers were seeking to re-establish the boundary of the site and narrow the pavements considerably.

We know that the St Margarets Business Centre (including the car-park) changed hands at the end of 2018 for £7 900 000 (as shown on the land registry) and we have been told that the car-park site has then been sold Subject To Planning Permission to "Godstone Developments Ltd" who are yet another subsiduary of Sheen Lane Developments.

Richmond Council (LBRUT) placed Tree Preservation Orders (TPO's) on the entire site in October 2019 presumably in anticipation of what they knew was intended and these were confirmed in February 2020. Local residents had their own tree survey made and are working with the South West London Environment Network to monitor bat activity (of which there is plenty it seems).

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Update 24th December 2020 : We finally found out today that Planning Application 20/2664/FUL has now been outright Refused by LBRUT Planning Department on Five grounds:

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UPDATE OCtober 1st 2020: The planning application (20/2664/FUL) has now been submitted for the development of the car-park at the junction of Winchester Road and Godstone Road and can be seen HERE

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